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Phantasmagoria and Other Poems
Phantasmagoria and Other Poems
Phantasmagoria and Other Poems
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Phantasmagoria and Other Poems

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Release dateNov 27, 2013
Phantasmagoria and Other Poems
Author

Lewis Carroll

Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (1832–98), better known by the pseudonym Lewis Carroll, was an English author, mathematician, logician, Anglican deacon, and a photographer. His most famous writings are Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass, as well as the poems "The Hunting of the Snark" and "Jabberwocky," all examples of the genre of literary nonsense. He is noted for his facility at word play, logic, and fantasy.

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    Phantasmagoria and Other Poems - Lewis Carroll

    The Project Gutenberg eBook, Phantasmagoria, by Lewis Carroll, Illustrated

    by Arthur B. Frost

    This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with

    almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or

    re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included

    with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org

    Title: Phantasmagoria

           and Other Poems

    Author: Lewis Carroll

    Release Date: March 28, 2013  [eBook #651]

    [This file was first posted on September 17, 1996]

    Language: English

    Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)

    ***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PHANTASMAGORIA***

    Transcribed from the 1911 Macmillan and Co. edition by David Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org

    PHANTASMAGORIA

    AND OTHER POEMS

    BY

    LEWIS CARROLL

    WITH ILLUSTRATIONS

    BY

    ARTHUR B. FROST

    MACMILLAN AND CO., LIMITED

    ST. MARTIN’S STREET, LONDON

    1911

    Richard Clay and Sons, Limited

    BRUNSWICK STREET, STAMFORD STREET, S.E.,

    AND BUNGAY, SUFFOLK.

    First published in 1869.

    Inscribed to a dear Child:

    in memory of golden summer hours

    and whispers of a summer sea.

    Girt with a boyish garb for boyish task,

       Eager she wields her spade: yet loves as well

    Rest on the friendly knee, intent to ask

             The tale one loves to tell.

    Rude scoffer of the seething outer strife,

       Unmeet to read her pure and simple spright,

    Deem, if thou wilt, such hours a waste of life,

             Empty of all delight!

    Chat on, sweet Maid, and rescue from annoy

       Hearts that by wiser talk are unbeguilded.

    Ah, happy he who owns the tenderest joy,

             The heart-love of a child!

    Away, fond thoughts, and vex my soul no more!

       Work claims my wakeful nights, my busy days,

    Albeit bright memories of the sunlit shore

             Yet haunt my dreaming gaze.

    CONTENTS

    PHANTASMAGORIA

    CANTO I

    The Trystyng

    One winter night, at half-past nine,

          Cold, tired, and cross, and muddy,

    I had come home, too late to dine,

    And supper, with cigars and wine,

          Was waiting in the study.

    There was a strangeness in the room,

          And Something white and wavy

    Was standing near me in the gloom—

    I took it for the carpet-broom

          Left by that careless slavey.

    But presently the Thing began

          To shiver and to sneeze:

    On which I said "Come, come, my man!

    That’s a most inconsiderate plan.

          Less noise there, if you please!"

    I’ve caught a cold, the Thing replies,

          Out there upon the landing.

    I turned to look in some surprise,

    And there, before my very eyes,

          A little Ghost was standing!

    He trembled when he caught my eye,

          And got behind a chair.

    How came you here, I said, "and why?

    I never saw a thing so shy.

          Come out!  Don’t shiver there!"

    He said "I’d gladly tell you how,

          And also tell you why;

    But" (here he gave a little bow)

    "You’re in so bad a temper now,

          You’d think it all a lie.

    "And as to being in a fright,

          Allow me to remark

    That Ghosts have just as good a right

    In every way, to fear the light,

          As Men to fear the dark."

    No plea, said I, "can well excuse

          Such cowardice in you:

    For Ghosts can visit when they choose,

    Whereas we Humans ca’n’t refuse

          To grant the interview."

    He said "A flutter of alarm

          Is not unnatural, is it?

    I really feared you meant some harm:

    But, now I see that you are calm,

          Let me explain my visit.

    "Houses are classed, I beg to state,

          According to the number

    Of Ghosts that they accommodate:

    (The Tenant merely counts as weight,

          With Coals and other lumber).

    "This is a ‘one-ghost’ house, and you

          When you arrived last summer,

    May have remarked a Spectre who

    Was doing all that Ghosts can do

          To welcome the new-comer.

    "In Villas this is always done—

          However cheaply rented:

    For, though of course there’s less of fun

    When there is only room for one,

          Ghosts have to be contented.

    "That Spectre left you on the Third—

          Since then you’ve not been haunted:

    For, as he never sent us word,

    ’Twas quite by accident we heard

          That any one was wanted.

    "A Spectre has first choice, by right,

          In filling up a vacancy;

    Then Phantom, Goblin, Elf, and Sprite—

    If all these fail them, they invite

          The nicest Ghoul that they can see.

    "The Spectres said the place was low,

          And that you kept bad wine:

    So,

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